Chiefs stay alive

The two-time defending champion Chiefs booked their place in the Super Rugby play-offs with a hard-fought 11-8 win over the Blues on Friday.

In a very wet and windy Auckland the Chiefs overcame a determined Blues team and the atrocious conditions to move up to fourth place on the standings.

Although a couple of teams can still overtake them, as the weekend developes, they will not drop lower than sixth – meaning they can still join the Crusaders as the only teams to have won three consecutive Super Rugby titles.

The Blues, playing with a strong wing and driving rain at their backs, made their intentions clear from the outset – opting for scrums and tap-kicks instead of taking kickable penalties at goal.

Requiring a bonus-point win and needing to beat the Chiefs by at least 38 points to stay alive, the home team naively went for an expansive approach in the very testing conditions.

The Blues, bashing away feverishly for more than 10 minutes, were held up over the Chiefs' line three times in the opening exchanges. Eventually a knock-on ended that salvo.

And the next raid by the Blues also ended through a handling error as the first quarter was completed without the scores being troubled.

In contrast the Chiefs had no hesitation in aiming their first penalty at goal, even though Aaron Cruden was short from 40-odd metres out and into the strong wind.

Cruden eventually opened the scoring with a penalty from just on 30 metres out, as the Blues increasingly suffered from the dreaded 'dropsies' in the pouring rain.

It went from bad to worse for the Blues just past the half-hour mark, when veteran All Black Ma'a Nonu was sent to the sin bin for a typical (for him) no-arms tackle – the 15th yellow card, not to mention numerous bans, he has collected over the past decade for dangerous tackles.

The Chiefs took that slender (3-0) lead into the half-time break.

However, after the break the Blues changed tack, played for the win and took their shots at goal – Ihaia West slotting one in the 44th minute and hitting the upright with a second just minutes later.

With just on a half-hour to go Liam Messam intercepted a sloppy West pass and sprinted 50 metres for the game's opening try. Cruden's conversion attempt sailed past the left upright, but at 8-3 the Chiefs were in a commanding position – given the conditions.

Cruden slotted a penalty, before the game was turned on its head one-more time going into the final quarter – Chiefs lock Mike Fitzgerald being sent to the sin bin for repeated infringements at the breakdown, taking one (yellow card) for the team.

That saw the Blues surge back into the game, George Moala eventually going over in the right corner after another penalty and a series of rucks near the line. West's conversion attempt hit the upright – 8-11, with just over 10 minutes remaining.

The Blues, try as they might, just could not break the strong Chiefs defensive line – which was aided by the atrocious conditions.

Man of the match: Given the conditions and the nature of the game, it was not an occasion for individuals. However, Steven Luatua put his body on the line once more. Brodie Retallick was physical, although not always legal, while Tanerau Latimer was also influential. However, our award goes to Chiefs flank Liam Messam, who did a mountain of work on defence and his anticipation – that resulted in an intercept try in the 50th minute – turned the game on its head.

The scorers:

For the Blues:

Try: Moala

Pen: West

For the Chiefs:

Try: Messam

Pens: Cruden 2

Yellow cards: Ma'a Nonu (Blues, 35 – foul play, dangerous tackle), Mike Fitzgerald (Chiefs, 66 – repeated infringements, in at the side of the breakdown)

Teams:

Blues: 15 Charles Piutau, 14 Lolagi Visinia, 13 Francis Saili, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Jerome Kaino, 7 Brendon O'Connor, 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Keven Mealamu (captain), 1 Sam Prattley.

Replacements: 16 James Parsons, 17 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 18 Angus Ta'avao, 19 Hayden Triggs, 20 Peter Saili, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Jackson Willison, 23 George Moala.

Chiefs: 15 Tom Marshall, 14 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 13 Tim Nanai-Williams, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden (captain), 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Liam Squire, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Mike Fitzgerald, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Jamie Mackintosh.

Replacement: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Pauliasi Manu, 18 Nick Barrett, 19 Matt Symons, 20 Tevita Koloamatangi, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Dwayne Sweeney.

Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Nick Briant (New Zealand), Brendan Pickerill (New Zealand)

TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)